ASHIQ HUSAIN (AGS23MPSY025)

SACK’S SENTENCE COMPLETION TEST

INTRODUCTION
The Sacks Sentence Completion Test (1961) consists of 50 partly completed
sentences, designed to assess personality traits. It is included in collaboration with
the University of Akron, Archives of the History of American Psychology. The test
offers an opportunity for respondents to complete sentences, reflecting their personal
characteristics and [Link] Sentence Completion. Sack's team of
psychologists and researchers meticulouslycrafted a pool of sentence stems that
covered a broad spectrum of psychological [Link] stems were designed
to elicit responses that could reveal underlying [Link],
emotional states, and interpersonal dynamics. The iterative development
processinvolved refining and selecting sentence stems based on pilot testing, expert
feedback, andtheoretical [Link] Completion Tests have two
precursors, namely word association tests andincomplete sentences. Jung
popularized word associations to produce personally andemotionally
meaningful responses to word stimuli. Ebbinghaus and Galton had
usedincomplete sentences to study memory (Rhode, 1957). Daston (1968)
concluded based onprior reviews that the first systematic use of sentence
completion tests in the area ofpersonality assessment dates back to the
1920s.
The Sentence Completion Test (SCT) is widely used in clinical,
educational, and organizational psychology to assess personality, attitudes, and
emotional adjustment. It evaluates various domains, including family dynamics,
interpersonal relationships, self-concept, and attitudes towards sex and authority. In
the family domain, SCT examines an individual’s feelings towards their mother,
father, and overall family structure. Interpersonal relationships are explored through
perspectives on superiors, colleagues, and supervised individuals. Self-concept is
analyzed through fears, guilt feelings, perceptions of abilities, reflections on the past,
and expectations for the future and personal goals. SCT is applied in clinical
psychology for diagnosing personality disorders, depression, and anxiety, while in
educational settings, it helps understand student behavior and cognitive
development. Personality tests are categorized into objective tests, such as the
MMPI and Big Five Personality Test; projective tests, including the Rorschach Inkblot
Test, Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), and SCT; behavioral assessments through
direct observation; and self-report inventories like the MBTI. Semi-projective tests,
such as the SCT, blend structured and unstructured methods, using sentence
prompts to elicit open-ended responses. These tests are advantageous as they
reveal unconscious conflicts, are flexible, minimize social desirability bias, and are
cost-effective. However, they also have limitations, including subjective interpretation
requiring expert analysis, a lack of standardization across different scoring methods,
mood dependency affecting responses, and limited validity for assessing specific
traits. Despite these challenges, SCT remains a valuable tool in psychological
assessment.
SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC DETAILS
Name JS

Age 23
Sex Female
Marital Status
Education Persuing Msc psychology
Occupation
Family Structure Nuclear Family
Social Economic Status Middle Class
Residence Urban

METHODLOY
AIM
To assess the personality, attitude, and adjustment, inter personal conflictof the
subject using Sack’s Sentence Completion Test.
MATERIALS REQUIRED
 SCT Questionnaire
 Manual
 Writing materials
 comfortable seating
 introspective sheet
 observational sheet

DESCRIPTION OF THE TOOL

The Sentence Completion Test (SCT), developed by Dr. Joseph M. Sacks and Dr.
Sidney Levy in 1950, is a semi-projective tool used to assess personality, emotions,
and attitudes. It evaluates domains such as self-concept, interpersonal relationships,
family dynamics, and sexual attitudes. Widely used in clinical, educational, forensic,
and organizational settings, SCT provides insights into personality and emotional
adjustment through open-ended sentence prompts, requiring expert interpretation
due to its subjective nature. The degree of disturbance of 100 participants in all areas
were rated and interpreted.A correlation of .48 to .57 was found between ratings by
Psychologists and [Link] summaries of participants by Psychologists
were read by Psychiatrists. 77% ofthe statements were rated in close agreement between
the two professionals. SSCT was foundvalid concerning other projective tests such as
Rorschach and TAT.

PROCEDURE
The assessment began with a brief introduction to the purpose of Sack’s Sentence
Completion Test (SCT). The participant was provided with information about the
nature of the assessment, and verbal consent was obtained before proceeding. The
participant was ensured a comfortable and quiet environment to minimise
distractions during the assessment. Any questions or concerns raised by the
participant were addressed at this stage. A brief overview of the participant's
demographics, medical history, and relevant background information was collected
to contextualise the semi-projective assessment, post which the testcommenced.
Clear and concise instructions were provided and the participant was briefed about
the importance of their answers’ promptness. The client was encouraged to ask
questions and seek clarification as needed before initiating each task. A stopwatch
was used to keep track of time.

INSTRUCTION
“There are 60 partially completed sentences, read each one and finish it by writing
the first thing that comes in to your mind. If any item cannot be completed circle the
number and return to it later”.
INTROSPECTIVE REPORT
During the session, I found myself being cooperative and engaged, responding to
each item with genuine interest. I felt comfortable expressing my thoughts, and the
overall experience was positive. I was able to provide accurate answers, reflecting
on different aspects of my personality, attitudes, and relationships. However, I did
encounter some questions that were more challenging to answer, requiring deeper
introspection. Despite this, I remained open and honest throughout the process,
gaining insights into my emotions and thought patterns.
SCORING
The interpretation of each items is done by giving “0” if there is no conflict, “1” if there
is mild conflict, “2” if there is severe conflict.
RESULTS
In the domain of self-concept
Fear
The subject has scored 0, 1, 0, 1. The score indicates that the subject has a fear of
self assertion. The influence of fear on her behavior can be found in responses.
Guilt feeling
The score is 1, 1, 0, 1 which indicates the subject has regret over the past and has
mild disturbance.
Attitude towards own abilities
0, 0, 1, 0 was the score obtained by the subject. This indicates that subject knows
about her potential and abilities.
Attitude towards past
The subject scored 0, 0, 0, 0 in this sub domain, which indicates that the subject hold
no grudge against the past, she seems to be well adjusted.
Attitude towards future
0, 0, 0, 0, was score obtained by the subject which indicate that the subject has
positive expectation for the future and she seems to be confident in achieving her
goals.
Attitude towards goals
The subject obtained a score of 0, 0, 0, 0 which indicates that the subject is satisfied
and happy.
Interpersonal relationships
Attitude towards friends and acquaintances
The subject has scored 0, 0, 0, 0, which indicate that she has tendency to express
mutual relationships with others.
Attitude towards supervisors at work or school
0, 0, 0, 0, was the score obtained by the subject, which indicate that the subject is
good at understanding but has some problems with relationships in work or school.
Attitude towards people supervised
0, 0, 1, 0 was the score obtained which indicates she has good problem solving skills
which is indicated in her response.
Attitude towards colleagues at work or school
The subject has scored 0, 0, 0, 0, which indicates that she is understanding and
trustable person which is understood from her response.
Sex areas
Attitude towards women
0, 0, 0, 0, was the score obtained, which indicate that the subject criticize only in
extreme situation.
Attitude towards heterosexual relationships
The subject has obtained score of 0, 0, 0, 0, which indicate that she is happy and
satisfied.
Family area
Attitude towards mother
The subject scored 0, 0, 1, 0, in this subdomain, which indicate that she has a
positive relationship with her mother.
Attitude towards father
In this domain the subject scored 1, 0, 0, 0, which indicates that she also maintain a
good relationship with her father.
Attitude towards family unit
0, 0, 0, 0 was the score obtained it signifies that the subject has strong bond with her
family.
DISCUSSION
The Sack’s Sentence Completion Test was administered to A.S, a 23-year-old
student in Bangalore, to assess personality, attitude, and adjustment ,inter personal
conflict of the subject . The results indicate that she has a fear of self-assertion, as
reflected in her responses. Additionally, she experiences mild guilt feelings and
regret over the past, though she does not hold grudges and appears well-adjusted.
Her attitude towards her abilities suggests self-awareness and confidence, and she
maintains a positive outlook on the future and her goals. In interpersonal
relationships, she expresses mutual understanding with friends and colleagues,
though she faces some challenges in relationships with supervisors. She
demonstrates good problem-solving skills and is considered trustworthy. Regarding
sex-related attitudes, she is generally non-critical unless in extreme situations and
appears happy and satisfied in heterosexual relationships. In the family domain, she
has a strong bond with her family, maintaining positive relationships with both her
parents. Overall, while she exhibits guilt and fear of losing loved ones, she is well-
adjusted, confident, and maintains healthy relationships in various aspects of life.
CONCLUSION
The SCT results indicate that the subject has mild conflict on guilt which indicates
the subject has regret over the past and has mild disturbance.
REFERENCE
1. American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of
mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.
2. Sadock, B. J., Sadock, V. A., & Ruiz, P. (2021). Kaplan & Sadock’s synopsis of
psychiatry: Behavioral sciences/clinical psychiatry (12th ed.).Wolters Kluwer.
3. Trzepacz, P. T., & Baker, R. W. (1993). The psychiatric mental status
examination. Oxford University Press.